Cutter for sprouts or tree suckers



May l5, 1945. T. L. PAGE CUTTER FOR SPROUTS OR TREE SUCKERS FiledMarch15, 1944 Patented May l5, i945 UNITED STATES APATENT OFFICE l CUTTER FORSPROUTS R TREE SUCKERS Thomas L. Page, Stamford, Conn.

Application March 15, 1944, Serial No. 526,586

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a cutter for tree suckers, sprouts, and thelike.

It is primarily aimed to provide a construction which is operable by onehand to add to safety of operation Where the operator works on a ladder,a tree, or otherwise ofi the ground, since it leaves one hand free tograsp the ladder, branch, or tree.

A further object is to provide such a construction as is well adaptedfor use in the orchard and in tree surgery.

Additionally, it is aimed to provide a simple, durable and relativelyinexpensive structure.

The more specific objects and advantages will be inferred from thedescription following taken in connection with accompanyingv drawingillustrating an operative embodiment.

In said drawing:

Figure 1 is a view of the cutter looking toward one side edge thereof;

Figure 2 is a view of the cutter taken at a right angle to Figure l,with parts in section to disclose details; and

Figure 3 is a detail section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Referring specifically to the drawing wherein the same referencecharacters designate the same parts, Ill designates a slidable head forinstance, having a tube at II open at the top and from which top extendsa pair of hooks or jaws I2, which are relatively close together, so thata cutter in the form of a plate I3 may lbe moved relatively thereto andtherebetween, such cutter being pivoted at It to lugs I5 integral withthe hooks I2. Said cutter also has a convex edge which is sharpened asat i6 to enable engagement of the hooks and cutter with a sprout,sucker, branch, or the like, as suggested in dotted lines at I'I.

Said cutter I3 has a hook at I8 which is disposed at the open end of thetube II) and engaged in an eyelet I9 of a rod 20 which is attached by apin 2l to an actuating handle 22 of any desired length.

Said handle 22 is slidably disposed between and guided by arms 23depending from the tube II and particularly a web 24 therein, which isengaged ywith the upper end of the handle 22. Rod 2t slides freelythrough an opening 25 in said web 24 and at a distance above the web, asuitable abutment 2E is fastened to the rod. Surrounding the rod andengaging the web 24 and abutment 26 at opposite ends is an expansivecoil spring 21 which maintains the parts normally as shown in Figure 2,that is, with the cutter in open position.

In operation, the tool, is held with one hand grasping the handle 22.The other hand is thus free for engagement with the ladder, limb of atree or the like for safety purposes. Since the cutter I3 is normallyopen1 the structure may be readily operatively applied to a sucker,sprout, branch, or the like as suggested in Figure 2. When thus engaged,the object I'I will form an abutment for .the hook I2 and hence when thehandle is pulled downwardlyby the hand engaged therewith, the handle androd 20 will move relatively to the tube II, causing eyelet I9 and hookI8 to swing the cutter I3 across the object I1, toward the hooks I2 andbetween the same. During such action, spring 2l will be compressed sothat upon completion of a cutting operation, the spring 21 will expandand restore the cutter to the open position of Figure 2.

Various changes may be resorted to provided they fall within the spiritand scope of the invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A cutting implement of the class described having a body providedIwith a tube, a hook extending from the tube, a cutter pivoted to thebody and movable relatively to the hook, a handle slidable relatively tothe body, an operative connection through the tube between the handleand cutter, an expansive spring means coacting with said connection tourge the cutter to open position, said tube having a perforated webadjacent its lower end, and said connection including a rod slidablethrough the perforation of web.

2. A cutting implement of the class described having a body providedwith a tube, a hook extending from the tube, a cutter pivoted to thebody and movable relatively to the hook, a handle slidable relatively tothe body, an operative connection through the tube between the handleand cutter, an expansive spring means coacting with said connection tourge the cutter to open position, said tube having a perforated webadjacent its lower end, said connection including a rod slidable throughthe perforation of web, a hook and eyelet connection between the cutterand said rod, and guide means for the handle depending from said web.

. THOMAS L. PAGE.

